Motor driven by water-currents.



No.737, 256.' r PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

T; A. MAQDONALD.

MOTOR DRIVEN BY WATER GURRENTS.

APPLICATION FILED our. 4, 1902. Y

no 11011111.. s sums-sunny 1.

WITNESSES: /-N VE N 70/? ATTORNEYS.

THE NORIIS PEYERS c0. PrIcTaLnuou wAsv-llNu'r'ou. n. c.

No. 73'7,256. I PATENTEDAU'G.25,'1903.'

, T. MAGDONALD. v MOTOR DRIVEN BY WATER GURRENTS.

AIPLIOATIOH FILED OOTA, 1902.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.LY/ W/TNESSE INVENTOH' v Jamr-ZMOM W By i ATTORNEYS.

THE NORRIS PETERS c0v PHOTO-LING" WASHINGTON, n. c

PATENTBD 'AUG. 25, 1903.:

T. A. MAuDONALD; MOTOR DRIVEN BY WATER GURRENTS.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.4, 1902.

no 110mm.

A TTOHNE rs.

J'HE NORRIS PETERS coy. PNOTQLITHOqV/RSHINGYON. 0y (1y U ITED Iatente d August 25, 1963 PATENT OF ICE.

. DRWEN Y yv -rE -cuaREN rs.

srncrmcn'rro v forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,256, datedAugust' 25, 1903.

Application filed October 4, 1902. Serial No. 125,959. (No model.) I

.To wZZ whont it may concern.-

water by transforming it into electrical en-. ergy or for driving machinery of any kind. It is welhknown tothose acquainted with such motors that they have proven generally un-' satisfactory for several reasons, and are hence rarely used.

' I have devised a motor which avoids the chief defects of its predecessors and contains .features which render it superior in various ways.

The construction, arrangement, and oper-' ation of. parts are as hereinafter described,

and shown in the accompanying drawings,.

(three sheets,)' in which- I Figure 1 is aplan View of my improved apparatus, including a rigid support therefor consisting of masonry and woodwork. Fig. 2 is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a Vertical section. Fig. 4 is a detail view of an adjustable rigid support for the hinged frame carrying the motor or waterwheels proper. Fig. 5 is another end view,

the water-wheels or motors proper not being shown. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View of the bearing of the hinged frame carrying .the water-wheels. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of parts of the bearing detached from each other. Fig. 8 is an end view of the bearing.

'X indicates 'awall of masonry arranged alongside a stream -Y,-whose direction of flow is indicated by arrows in Fig.1.

Z is a wooden frame erected on and rigidly attached to the wall X.

A indicates a series of water-wheels or ourrent-motors which are in practice immersed more or less in the stream Y and which are suitably constructed to utilize the force of the same by rotation. I preferably employ a waterwheel constructed and adapted to operate as shown and described in my Letters Patent No. 442,694,.dated December 16,

1890. It is tobe understood, however, that any other sui table wheel may be substituted. ;In the instance here shown three such wheels are employed, the same being keyed upon a shaft B,'-w h'ich is journaled in the lower ends of the three gangular fulcrum-bars C. As shown in Figs.- 2 and 5, these bars have a :long straight portion, their front ends being bent downward; at an angle of about forty- 'five degrees. At a point near the middle of thelengthof the straight :portion the bars 0 are hinged on a shaft D, whfch is provided with a 'pulleyE, from which poweris taken I off by means of a belt. (Shown by dotted lines, Fig. 1.) In place of a belt anyfother form of gearing may beemployed. The rotationim parted. to the-shaft B by means of thecurrentmotors A is transmitted-to the driving-shaft D by means of bevel-gearing F and a shaft G,

of one of the angular fulcrum-bars O. The.

weight of the wheels A and the power-trans= .mitting gearing is nearly counterbalanced by weights H, secured to the rear ends of the fulcrum-bars 0. As shown, I employ a series of boxes in which stones or other weights are de posited until the desired counterbalance effect is obtained. By this means I produce an efficient,cheap, and easily-regulated coun terbalance.

motor-wheels are completely submerged, and thus the greatestpower. is obtained. It is ap- '-parent,.however, that if the wheels be adjusted higher only a portion of them will be immersed, and thereby the power will be lessened correspondingly. For the purpose of raising the wheels A, and thus regulating the power, as required, I employ a wire rope I,

When the fulcrum-bars 0 rest upon the masonry X, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, thewhich-runs on small pulleys J attached to of releasing the pawl when it is required to lower the frames carrying the water-wheels A, I employ apull-eord P, arranged as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. In Fig. 5 the apparatus is shown by dotted lines thrown up and supported entirely out of action. In order to combine maximum lightness, strength, and rigidity, I provide each of the fulcrum-bars C with a triangular truss-brace G, one of whose sides-to wit, the front-extends to the shaft B and is bolted or riveted to the angular portion of a fulcrum-bar. The rear angle of each brace O is secured directly in front of a counterbalance I-I. Astrut or brace extends vertically from the apex of the angle of the truss-frame O to the fulcrum-point of the base-bar C. The several truss-frames O are connected on the front side by means of a diagonal brace and tie Q and on the rear side by ahorizontal tie and brace bar R, arranged as shown in Fig. 1. The several fulcrum-bars C are further connected by means of a horizontal tie-bar R, as further shown in Fig. 1. By this mode of construction and bracing the frame of the apparatus is rendered very strong and rigid; but in order to relieve the shaft D of torsion and friction I employ an antifriction thrust-bearing, the same consisting of a roller S, (see Fig. 5,) which is secured to the lower or downstream fulcrum-bar O and is adapted to run on the segmental or curved rack-bar O.

The hinged connection or bearing of the wheel-frame is constructed and arranged to operate as follows: Each of the fulcrum-bars C is secured to the sleeve T, (see Figs. 6 and 7,)

which is supported in vertical bars U, fixed in the wall X. Detachable collars V are applied to the ends of the sleeve T, which project through eyes in the uprights U, as shown in Fig. 6. The shaft D is adapted to rotate freely in the sleeve T and is thus relieved of the friction which would be otherwise caused by the weight of the frame carrying the wheels and counterpoise.

"When the wheels A are immersed in the water-in other words, when the fulcrum-bars C are in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5 the said bars derive a firm support from the masonry wall X. It is desirable that such frame-support shall be also maintained when the wheels are raised, so they are partly immersed in the water, and for this purpose I employ a kind of rack W, such as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The same consists of paral lel bars set at a slight inclination from the vertical and rigidly fixed in the masonry wall X and provided with a series of movable transverse rods w, It is obvious that a rod 10 is inserted beneath the triangular truss-frame C to support it any desired elevation, and thus the entire apparatus is practically as rigid as when the f ulcrum-bars C rested on the wall X.

The two bevel-wheels which are immersed in the water may be protected by boxing against contact with floating pieces of wood or other material. The length of the wheelshaft may be also extended, and any desired number of wheels may be placed thereon.

As thus constructed my wheel or motor is distinguished by lightness, strength, cheapness, ease of adjustment for regulating power, and high efficiency in producing power.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a rigid support and a fulcrum power-shaft, of a wheel-frame comprising a series of fulcrum base-bars extending rearward and provided with counterbalances and also extending forward and downward at an obtuse angle, a motor-shaft, and current wheels carried at the ends of such fulcrum-bars, triangular truss-braces applied to the fulcrum-bars and connected by rigid braces and ties, gearing connecting the current-wheels with the fulcrum-shaft, and an antifriction thrust-bearing arranged as shown, and the rope, Windlass, and pawl and ratchetfor raising and locking the frame of the apparatus in the manner shown and described.

2. The combination, with arigid support and fulcrum power-shaft, wheels, and a pivoted frame carrying said wheels and having a pivoted pawl arranged as shown, of a curved rack-bar fixed on a side support adjacent to said frame, for engagement with the pawl, a pull-rope connected with said pawl and passing backward on suitable guides, and means for raising the wheels,as shown and described.

THOMAS ANTHONY MACDONALD.

Witnesses:

C. W. BENSEN, WEssELs V AN BLARCOM. 

